Are Our Hiring Practices To Blame For The Amount Of Employee Turnover?

While I am no Generation-Y hipster who will never know the wonders of listening to an album on vinyl — my parents once called these audio artifacts records — I am technologically adept and feel plenty comfortable perusing the Internet.

While recently looking to barter for an exchange of services on my local Craigslist webpage, I stumbled upon the part-time job listings.

I was astounded by the sheer volume of posts seeking individuals to fill positions ranging from day porter and custodial supervisor to nighttime janitor and evening housekeeper.

Curiosity led me to look through some of the older job postings — and I was taken aback.

As far back as my mouse could click, there were dozens of janitorial job postings each day — thousands in total.

I even unearthed a few franchise opportunities that guaranteed "six-figure income within the first 18 months of operation."

Turnover: A Product Of Our Practices?

I have long known that turnover is a major issue in the JanSan industry — and with reason.

Unless you are a full-time employee with many years'' tenure, the chances are good that your position is not very lucrative.

And, regardless of how altruistic you may be, survival is next to impossible without money.

Despite the fact that some do climb the corporate ladder from frontline custodian to manager or supervisor, a vast majority do not.

So, what we are left with is a pool of potential employees that we know will not remain on the payroll for very long — less than one year in many instances.

What I am left wondering is, can part of the turnover issue be traced back to our subpar hiring practices?

If we want employees in whom we can invest time and resources to properly train and continually educate, then why are we actively seeking bottom rung prospects?

I surmise that "playing the numbers game" with workers who have little to no intention of long-term employment does more damage to the image of the industry than it does help.

Yes, janitorial work is undervalued and unappreciated.

It is also often said that the professionalism of the industry needs to be raised if we are to be compensated at a rate deemed worthy and livable.

But, janitorial work will never be seen as glamorous or even noble if the very folks performing the tasks are seeking alternative employment every couple of months.

Moreover, employers are reluctant to invest in employees they know will not last.

Your Turn To Talk

Have you had any successes or failures using Craigslist as a hiring forum?

What is the longest a prospect from Craigslist has retained employment with your company or organization?